Turquoise is a stone that can be semi-translucent to opaque
in appearance. It is a hydrated phosphate of copper and aluminum. The colors of
the turquoise vary from light green to deep, dark apache blue. The gradients vary based on the
amount of other metals and impurities found in the stone.
The value of turquoise increases with its rarity and mining
locations. Arizona’s Sleeping Beauty Mine contributes to world’s most valuable
turquoises that exhibit smooth and intense hues— like the Persian turquoise!
The amount of metals in the rock contribute to the greenish hue of the
turquoise. Zinc and iron contribute to a variation known as Faustite which is
of a bright green color. Such combinations are rarer and that’s why they are
more valuable in the market.
What Are The Most Preferred Colors?
Though most of the Americans prefer greenish and deep blue
hues, there is a rare shade that doesn’t go unnoticed. The White Buffalo Turquoise!
The stone is of a cream white shade with delicate black matrixes entwined in
it. The healing Chakra stone is made of calcium and iron, and is mined near
Tonopah Nevada by Danny and Dean Otteson. It is one of the rarest turquoises
mined in the US!
Turquoises that can take a good polish and are an even,
medium blue color are deemed as the most valuable turquoise stones. The market
has a wide variety of turquoises based on the color, texture and size. Don’t
let the industry hype and standards steer you away from your preferences and
choices when shopping for turquoises.
The only thing that you should always remember when buying
turquoise is to shop from experienced and reputable jewelers in your area. The
more intense the color, the more valuable the stone!
Be it a white buffalo or an apache blue, the color
needs to be dark and even for a higher value!
Industry Standards For Measuring The Value
Colors play a great role to determine the value of the
turquoise. There are other factors as well, such as stone texture, gradient transition,
and location of mining.
Typically, a turquoise is considered highly valuable if it
exhibits a rich, even and intense color. The industry metric for pricing
turquoise stones is called the Turquoise Quality Index (TQI). It involves
factors such as color transition and intensity to determine the value of the
stone.
The rarity factor greatly influences the TQI score. The
rarer the color of the stone, the higher the value! The pricing score is graded
on a scale from 1 to 10. The stone scored 1 is considered to be the least
valuable, while a score of 10 suggests the highest value.
Stones that are artificially dyed or synthetically
manufactured in labs are always graded a score of 1 and do not exceed the value
of 2. However, natural stones are evaluated on the basis of their color and gradient
transition. Their evaluation implies a formula of 1 + (color intensity) +
(color transition). The final price is calculated by calculating it with the
stone’s carats.
Price of the Turquoise: Weight (Carat) X TQI/ Carat Index.
CONCLUSION
Turquoises are of different colors, textures, and sizes. The
rarity and the mining location greatly determine the value of the stone. The
price of the turquoise stone is measured by the TQI and the Carat Index.
You should buy and collect turquoises that speak to you and
complement your personality and taste. Industry values and standards should not
confuse you. The most intense, even, and easy-to-polish turquoise stones are deemed
as highly valuable.
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